By Marshall Tempest
Reporter
The Blue Darter baseball team lost 5-4 to the Lake Brantley Patriots in the second round of the 7A District 4 Tournament. The loss marks the end of the 2025 campaign for the Blue Darter baseball team, which finished with a 14-10 record and ranked 160th in the state.
Apopka vs. Lake Brantley
The Blue Darters fell in a heartbreaking loss to the Lake Brantley Patriots after giving up the game-losing runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. The two runs were sent in on a perfectly hit ball that rode deep down the right-field line. The Blue Darters were leading 4-3 before giving up two runs in the sixth inning.
“If that kid doesn’t hit the ball down the line like that, I mean, if it’s another foot the other way, it’s a ground ball to first base, and we’re out of the inning,” Head coach of the Apopka baseball team Bobby Brewer said. “No run scored, and we’re still up a run. So, it’s just disappointing, but I’m proud of the kids. The kids have done great all year long despite all the issues.”
The Blue Darters stayed in the game despite falling behind early. In the second inning, the Patriots scored the first runs of the game, leading 2-0 heading into the top of the third.
The game stayed quiet until the fourth when Apopka scored its first run. The run came courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Nico Posluszny. Apopka was trailing 2-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. The Patriots answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth to increase the lead to 3-1.
In the fifth inning, Apopka mounted a three-run rally to take the lead. Wyatt Jaggers started the rally, attempting to bring Apopka back into the game. Jaggers belted a line-drive double to deep center field that sent in two runs to tie the game 3-3. Collin VanFleet followed with an RBI single that gave Apopka its first lead, 4-3.
Apopka prevented any Patriot runs in the bottom of the fifth and was poised to add critical insurance runs after loading the bases in the top of the sixth. But the Patriots turned a double play to get out of the jam and set up their game-winning rally.
Brewer told me after the game that the team had to be better when running the bases at that moment, as not tagging up prevented Apopka from scoring in the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, Jaggers pitched with two outs and two on base after walking two batters. In a six-pitch at-bat, Lake Brantley’s Cameron Penny hit a nearly perfect ball deep down the right field line just past Apopka’s first baseman. The single sent in two runs as the Patriots grabbed the lead in the bottom of the sixth.
The Lake Brantley bullpen made quick work of the Apopka batters in the top of the seventh and put away the game, taking home the 5-4 win.
“We weren’t playing great at the end, but they (Apopka) showed up today, ready to play,” Brewer said. “They played one of the better teams in the county, and it’s always going to be a dogfight with them. Whatever the reason, the ball didn’t bounce our way.”
Jaggers stood out at the plate in the loss, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. In the field, Apopka posted a .947 fielding percentage, collecting 18 putouts and one error.
Tyler Spaid and Jaggers were on the mound in the loss, with Spaid starting for the Blue Darters. In the first four innings, Spaid gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits and one walk. He struck out five on 73 pitches.
Jaggers came in as relief in the fifth inning and allowed two runs, both earned, on three hits and two walks, while striking out two.
Apopka vs. Ocoee
Before falling to the Patriots in the second round of the district tournament, Apopka defeated Ocoee in the first round. The Ocoee Knights were 13-11 coming into the game and were on a four-game win streak.
The Blue Darters jumped out ahead in this one after scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning. The night’s first run came in on a triple laced to right field by Ty Livingston. Jez Hamrick sent in the next run on a groundball single to right field. Finally, the third run came in on a sacrifice fly from Collin VanFleet.
Apopka didn’t let up, putting up three more runs in the second inning while keeping Ocoee’s offense at bay. The first run of the second scored on an Ocoee fielding error. The second came in from a ground ball fielder’s choice from Wyatt Jaggers. And the third was brought in on a line drive single from VanFleet.
Apopka was up 6-0 heading into the third inning and looked in near-perfect form at the plate, in the field and on the mound.
The Blue Darters effectively ended the game at the bottom of the third inning when they erupted for six runs, doubling their lead to 12-0. Andy Diaz started the rally when he sent a line drive single to center field, which scored two. Jaggers followed him with a groundout that sent in a run. VanFleet then did it again, sending the ball to center field on a line drive single that plated two more runs. The 12th run of the game came on a walk that forced in a run while the basses were loaded.
The Blue Darters scored one more run in the bottom of the fourth on a single from Hamrick. Leading 13-0 going into the fifth inning, Apopka quickly collected three outs to secure the win and a spot in the second round, where the team played Lake Brantley.
Apopka’s Connor McAfee and Logan Page were on the mound in the shutout. McAfee started for the Blue Darters and pitched the first four innings. In his time on the mound, McAfee tallied six strikeouts while giving up one hit and three walks in 58 pitches. Page came in to relieve McAfee in the fifth and end the game. He collected two strikeouts and gave up no hits and one walk in 19 pitches.
Leading Apopka at the plate in this win was VanFleet, Diaz and Hamrick. VanFleet went 2-for-3 at the plate, putting up four RBIs. Diaz went 1-for-2 at the plate, collecting two runs and two RBIs. Hamrick went 2-for-2 at the plate, bringing in one run and two RBIs.
The Blue Darter fielding also bounced back in the win from its less-than-spectacular showings recently. Apopka had a combined fielding percentage of .818 and committed eight errors in the losses to Horizon and St. Cloud.
Against the Knights, Apopka had a .941 fielding percentage, tallying 15 putouts, one assist and just one error.
After defeating the Ocoee Knights, Apopka faced the Lake Brantley Patriots in the second round of the district tournament, falling 5-4.
